Richard Axel has resigned as co-director of a leading brain research centre at Columbia University after newly released files highlighted his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement, the 79-year-old scientist said he would step down from his leadership position at the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute to focus on research and teaching in his laboratory, according to reports.
The move follows the publication of millions of additional documents linked to the US investigation into Epstein, who died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The files have renewed scrutiny of prominent figures who had connections with him.
Documents released recently show Axel and Epstein had been in contact since at least 2010, with Axel previously saying he first met the financier in the 1980s.
Axel acknowledged the relationship and apologised, saying his association with Epstein had been ‘a serious error in judgment’ and that he regretted compromising the trust of colleagues, students and friends.
Axel was awarded the Nobel prize in physiology or medicine in 2004 alongside scientist Linda Buck for discoveries explaining how the sense of smell works, including the identification of genes responsible for odorant receptors.
